Bending-machine.



I H. A. MINER.

BENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 30, 1909.

1,054, 1 Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

fzyj. f 17 I 3. 4 f3. B 29 6 i J X E II 17 q B STA PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD A. MINER, 0F NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BENDING-MACHINE.

[0 all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, I'IO\VARD A. MINER, citizen of the United States,and residentof Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bending machines, and it isparticularly adapted, although not restricted, to machines for bendingthe corner bars of steel protected concrete street curbs, and otherbars, and metal bars on planes inclined to the planes of the bars orelements.

The use of steel protected concrete street curbs has been greatlyincreasing during recent years, and it is frequently necessary to bendthe metal corner bars, to carry them properly around corners at streetintersections, and for other reasons. But the proper bending of the barshas proved a very difficult operation to successfully accomplish, andindeed impracticable with bending machines as heretofore constructed.For when in position in the curbs the said bars are set with their websneither vertical nor horizontal but on a plane between verticalandhorizontal; but the bending of the bar must occur in a horizontalplane, effect this without snaking the bar, and with machines ofpracticablecost and adapted tothe conditions of concrete street curbconstruction, proved a most diflicult matter; and the difliculty wasfurther increased by the necessity, which frequently occurred, that thesame bar should have a reverse curvature, both curves horizontal planewhen the bar was in position. To satisfy the practical conditions ofconcrete curb construction, it was also necessary that the machineshould develop such power as to be capable of bending the bars on theshortest requisite radius by mere hand power applied to the operatinglever. For a bending machine which required mechanical power to bend andset the corner bars would not be practicable commercially.

I have solved the difficulties and produced a successful machine by theconstructions hereafter described, which can be adapted to be operatedby mechanical as well as by hand power.

Referring to the drawings, which accompany the specification to aid thedescription, Figure 1 is a plan of a machine equipped Specification ofLetters Patent.

as seen and to.

being in the same Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

Application filed Scptember 30, 1909. Serial No. 520,236.

with my invention, the parts being in the position assumed just beforethe bar begins to bend. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly sectioned ofthe same parts and in the same position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofthe same parts, but in the position assumed at the end of the stroke ofthe bending plunger. Fig. 4 is an end elevation partly sectioned, fromthe left of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section and elevation, about on theplane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail of the bendingblocks or jaws arranged to pro duce a curvature of a bar the reverse ofthat produced by the arrangement shown in Fig. 2.

To render the machine completely prac ticable, it is preferablyportable, so as to be carried to the place where curbs are in process ofco-nstructiomand I will hereinafter describe a portable machine,although, of

course, the invention is also applicable to a stationary machine.

On the bed A are firmly secured blocks, B--B and (Land the guide block0; said blocks B-B being preferably separated, and block C positionedopposite the space between said blocks B-B. Said blocks B-B are providedwith socket holes b-?) to movably admit the stems of certain bendingblocks, or jaws, D-D, readily changing the said jaws to produce reversecurvatures of the corner bars, and I shall hereinafter designate saidblocks D-D by the term jaws. The pivot blocks P-P are firmly secured tosaid bed A intermediate the blocks 0 and C, and parallel top bars NN,preferably shaped as shown in Fig. 3, are secured to and strengthen saidblocks C-PO. To a lug 0 of said block G is pivoted one end of a togglearm H, the other end of which is pivoted to the other toggle arm G onpin h, the other end of said arm Gr, being pivoted in the forked end jof the plunger F. Said plunger F works through a guide hole in saidblock 0, and is longitudinally socketed to movably re ceive the stem 6of the reciprocating bending block or jaw E, and I shall hereinafterdesignate said block E by the term jaw. Thus the said jaw E ispositioned midway between the aforesaid stationary jaws D-D and I preferthis arrangement, but, of course, the machine might be arranged so thatthe intermediate jaw would be stationary and the outer jaws would bereciprocating. It will also be seen, that arms H, G, connected so as topermit of as described, constitute a toggle for reciprocating saidplunger F, and I greatly increase the power of the machine bycompounding or doubling the toggle in the following manner: The forkedhead at of a socket-end lever 11 is pivoted on the said toggle pin it,and the other end of said head at is pivoted to one end of an auxiliarytoggle arm or arms J, the other ends of which are pivoted in said blocksPP, an excellent construction being illustrated in Fig. 4:, wherein twoparallel auxiliary toggle arms JJ are employed. A handle M is insertedin said socket piece M, the oscillation of which actuates said togglearms H, G, and also simultaneously actuates said auxiliary toggle armsJ, and the result is such compounding 'of the toggle action that handpower applied to said handle M is sufiicient to readily bend any bar towhich the machine would be applied. Said jaws E and D-D are shaped toretain the corner bar S ata proper inclination, the recesses in saidjaws being respectively shaped to properly fit against and partly aroundthe head, web, and locking dovetail of said corner bar, or to properlyfit the opposite sides of corner bars which are diiferently shaped fromthat chosen for illustration in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. Said jaws DD are eachprovided with a stem (Z adapted to removably fit in its said hole 6 inits proper block B, and said jaw E is provided with a stem 6 adapted toremovably fit in the socket of said plunger F whereby said jaws DD and Eare made readily movable and reversible so as to adapt the machine tocurving a bar in opposite directions as desired, or to give the same bara reverse curve.

The machine is operated as follows: The jaw E being retracted bythrowing lever M to the left of Fig. 2, a corner bar S is placed inposition in the recesses of jaws DD, being then in the inclined positionseen in Fig. 2. Now the handle M is oscillated in the proper directionto the position of Fig. 2, thus bringing said jaw E accurately intocontact with the opposite side of corner bar S, and intermediate thepoints where said bar S is supported by said aws DD. F urther movementof said handle M to the right forces said jaw E to the right, in a planeinclined to the plane of the web of said bar S, and so as to bend saidbar so indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the great power of thecompound toggle giving the bar a permanent set, even when cold.

The handle M being then retracted the curved corner bar is removed. Ifit is desired to give said bar a reverse curvature, the jaws DD areremoved from blocks BB, and the stems of other jaws recessed to hold thecorner bar at a reversed inclination, as seen in Fig. 6, are inserted inthe holes in said blocks BB. Block E is also removed from the socket inplunger F and the stem of another block is inserted therein, said lastnamed block being so recessed as to fit the corner bar when at saidreversed inclination. (Fig. 6.) The handle M being now operated theblock E will give the cor-- ner bar a curvature, the reverse of thatbefore given, and thus the same bar may be given a reverse curve, anddifferent bars may be curved in opposite directions, according to therequirements of particular curbs.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing description, that myinvention is capable of being embodied in machines for bending bars ofany kind or shape and is not limited to bending corner bars of concretecurbs, or bars for any particular purpose.

N ow having described my improvements I claim as my invention- 1. In ahand bending machine for bending webbed articles, the combination of ablock adapted to move rectilinearly and provided with a recess inclinedto the motion of said block, and adapted to fit one side of the webbedarticles, a reciprocating plunger adapted to movably retain said block,a compound toggle for operating said plunger and hand operated means foractuating said toggle, and a plurality of stationary blocks recessed tofit the other side of said webbed article and located at opposite sidesof said movable block, substantially as described.

2. In a bending machine, the combinaytion with a plunger and a bendingblock I movably carried thereby, of a toggle operatively connected withsaid plunger for moving the same, a compound toggle link J operativelyconnected with said toggle, and

hand operated means for actuating said toggle, substantially asdescribed.

Signed at Philadelphia in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, this 28th day of September A. D. 1909.

HOVARD A. MINER.

Witnesses EDWARD J. F ISHER, ANNA W. KoHN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, I). G.

